


Keep You Close

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [71]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mostly Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:22:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When Alec has to spend a week in Alicante he leaves notes around the Loft, and a few other places, for Magnus to find while he's away.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Tumblr Prompts [71]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1034831
Comments: 34
Kudos: 333





	Keep You Close

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: alec is away for a few days bc he's the inquisitor, but he hides a bunch of cute little notes around the loft for magnus to find and they're basically all sappy and adorable.

Magnus hates any amount of time he and Alec have to spend apart no matter what the reason, but this particular separation hurts a little more than the others. Alec has been temporarily assigned the position of Inquisitor in Alicante. Alec swore up and down that it isn’t permanent, though the Council want to make it permanent, promising Magnus that he made it very clear he isn’t going anywhere without him. 

“It’s just for a few days,” Alec reassures him, with one final, lingering kiss before he leaves. “I’ll be back before you even have a chance to miss me.” 

Magnus sighs. “I miss you already and you aren’t even gone yet,” he points out, stealing a second ‘last’ kiss while Alec rolls his eyes with a fond smile. 

“You know I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t important, right?” Alec asks. He can obviously tell Magnus’ been on edge about this trip, and this assignment, since Alec told him about it, and Magnus feels a little extra guilt over adding to the stress he knows Alec already feels. 

“Of course,” Magnus says, forcing a smile. “I’m just being dramatic. Go, I’ll be fine.” 

Magnus knows, deep down, that if Alec were to take the position full time they would make it work somehow. If it’s what Alec wants Magnus would never stand in the way of that… but that doesn’t stop him from selfishly hoping it’s as temporary as Alec says it is. 

That night, when Magnus goes into the bedroom to sleep, he finds a note on Alec’s pillow. 

_ Keep the bed warm for me. Love you - Alexander _

Magnus is actually glad he’s alone, surprised by the strong swell of emotion he feels over the simple note. He quickly brushes away the stray tear from his eye before using a bit of magic to warm both sides of the bed as he slides under the covers that night. 

He finds another note in the morning tucked under the coffee grounds. 

_ Remember, caffeine isn’t a substitute for meals, no matter how many clients you need to get through today. -Alexander _

Magnus continues to find little letters, some just a few words and others entire paragraphs, from Alec throughout the week. He finds one in the bathroom ( _ If you notice half the shampoo is missing it’s because I wanted to smell like you all week. Sorry, not sorry. -Alexander)  _ and one in the book he’s reading ( _ try not to fall asleep in the armchair while reading, I won’t be there to massage the knots out in the morning. -Alexander) _ , and it seems like every time he’s convinced he found the last one two more pop up somewhere entirely unexpected. 

Even more meaningful than the notes themselves - which Magnus is keeping, every last one, and re-reading more than once a day while Alec is away - is the fact that each one is somewhere Alec knows Magnus will be at some point. Alec knew exactly which book he’s been reading at night, which day Magnus is meeting with Cat for dinner (Alec leaves a note with her to give to him reading, ‘ _ You aren’t allowed to talk about me too much while I’m not there to defend myself -Alexander’ _ ), and even had the forethought to place a note under the 4th towel in the closet proclaiming  _ ‘Four days done, you’re in the home stretch now! I promise I’m missing you more than you’re missing me, can’t wait to be back with you -Alexander’ _ . Not back home, but back with  _ Magnus _ . 

And Alec is right - Magnus isn’t missing him half as much as he could be, because each letter is a piece of him here, now, even if Alec isn’t physically there. The notes help the week go by faster, they give him something to look forward to throughout his day because, even on days five and six, there are still more of them turning up. Day six happens to be a Friday, when he and Alec usually go to a bakery nearby for coffee and fresh bagels. Magnus decides not to skip out on that habit and is rewarded when the barista hands him a folded piece of paper along with his espresso that reads  _ ‘You have no idea how jealous I am of you right now, as I’m forcing down what is undoubtedly a sad excuse for coffee and missing our bagel date. -Alexander’  _

By the day Alec is set to return to New York Magnus finds himself counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds until his husband’s expected arrival time. He can feel Alec’s presence the moment he walks through the wards, and though Magnus has a book open in front of him he’d be lying to himself if he thought he retained anything his eyes skimmed over in an attempt to look like he isn’t sat there  _ waiting _ . 

The key turns in the lock and Alec walks in, hanging up his jacket and setting his bag down by the door next to where he toes off his shoes before coming inside properly. By the time those simple tasks are done Magnus is already on his feet. 

“How was your trip?” Magnus asks, leaning in to steal a kiss before Alec has the chance to answer. He’s thrown off when Alec’s arms don’t move to wrap around him, and when he backs up he sees it’s because there’s a folded piece of paper in his hands. 

“One last note,” Alec says, and there’s a nervousness behind his words that gives Magnus pause. 

_ After a unanimous vote, this letter serves as an official offer of the first High Warlock of Alicante position to Magnus Bane. Should you accept the position is yours to begin at your earliest convenience. -Inquisitor Alexander Lightwood-Bane  _

Magnus re-reads it before looking back up at Alec’s hopeful expression. “Is this-” 

“What the entire trip was about? Yes.” Alec beams. He’s been advocating for opening Alicante up to Downworlders for ages now, starting with an attempt to bring his idea of the NY Institute’s Downworld Council to the Nephilim on a much larger scale. The last Magnus heard it was still under review. “Every High Warlock in attendance spoke on your behalf. The position is yours, if you want it.”

“And your ‘temporary’ title of Inquisitor?” Magnus prods. 

“Still not official. If you agree then we both move to Alicante and it’s mine to keep. If you don’t, I go back to being the Head of the Institute without a single regret.” 

Magnus searches Alec’s face as he says that and can see that he’s telling the truth - he’d take or leave his dream job so long as the end result is staying with Magnus. It takes a lot of the pressure off of the decision to know without a doubt that Alec wouldn’t hold any resentment towards whatever he decides, which means when Magnus’ gut reaction is loud and clear he knows that it’s what  _ he _ wants, and not what he feels obligated to want. 

“I’ll take it,” Magnus agrees almost immediately. 

“Are you sure? You don’t have to answer now-” Alec starts, but Magnus cuts him off with a shake of his head. The chance Alec is offering him here, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime sort of opportunity and he’d be a fool to turn it down. The freelance clients he has now are fine to pass the time, but he misses the meaning and impact behind the work of a High Warlock. 

“The last time I was this sure of something was our wedding day,” Magnus says. This time when he leans in for a kiss Alec doesn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Magnus’ waist, pulling them both closer into the motion. 

Earlier Magnus was thinking of all the clever ways he could return the favor of Alec’s notes the next time Alec is in Alicante, but he much prefers the realization that now there’s nowhere one of them will go that the other can’t follow. 

“You’re going to change the world, Alexander, and I’m going to be by your side every step of the way.” 

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


End file.
